Rick's Proposal
by HersheyChocolates101
Summary: "Claire...will you stay with me for the rest of my life? Will you stick by my side through thick and thin? Through every storm, stomach flu, and sadness? Through every moment of happiness? ...Will you marry me?"


**A/N: This is my entry for the giftshot dare! I gift this present to my lovely Fanfiction friend hmgurl4evr! :) Enjoy!**

"Come on, Rick! Enough of pretending to be asleep!"

"No!" I yanked my arm from Popuri's awfully taut grip. Groaning, I pulled the bed covers over my head. "I'll do it next week! Just leave me alone!"

"But Rick!" Popuri whined, stamping her diminutive feet on the floor stubbornly. "Today is the _fireworks festival _and _HER BIRTHDAY!_ This is an opportunity that you can't let go of so easily!"

"It can wait."

"You've kept the poor girl waiting long enough. That feather is gonna shrivel up like a prune if you don't man up and give it already!"

Soon, after a tug-of-war with Popuri, I was on the floor, wincing in pain and rubbing my left arm. "Ouch…"

"...Rick do you love Claire?" Popuri asked inaudibly, ignoring my pain amd gazing out the window where the sun was getting low in the clouds.

_Talk about a sudden change in temper._

"Y-Yes..."

"Do you really, really love Claire?" she repeated, now looking straight at me.

"Yes..."

"Do you really, really, really, really love Claire?" she inquired again, pushing her hair behind her ear.

**"Yes, Popuri!"** I yelled, sighing in vexation.

"Then go be a man and ask her to marry you, you wimp!"With that, my (unpredictably powerful) younger sister shoved me down the stairs and then outside. "Go invite her to watch the fireworks with you! There's still time left before it starts!"

I tottered forward, my glasses askew and hair in an arrangement that resembled a bird's nest. The harmonious sparrows were beginning evening flights back to their homes (not the one on my head) and the sky had turned into a dazzling orange color. Running a hand through my hair in order to level it down a little, I took a deep breath and slowly jogged towards Claire's farm.

Cows mooed. Sheep baahed. Chickens clucked. A dog barked in salutation to me as I sheepishly entered the farm property and foolishly gawked at how much one person - a girl - could accomplish autonomously, yet profitably.

"Hey Rick!"

"GAH!" I tumbled over, flattening a nearby tomato plant, and felt the juice of ripen tomatoes soaking the back my pants. _Smooth..._

"Oh my! I'm so sorry for frightening you! Are you alright?" Claire panicked like a maniac as I stood up and brushed some excess soil off of my knees.

"I-It's no problem," I responded as unperturbedly as possible, though I looked like a wild dog was about to bite my hand off.

"Now what brings you here?"

"A-Ah well y-you see..." I began, stumbling over words and blushing like a pure idiot. Why couldn't I say something so simple without stuttering so much?

"Yes?" Claire wasn't precisely known for being patient with others. She already was leaning on one foot, tapping the other and crossing her arms. "C'mon I don't have all-"

"Will-you-go-to-the-Fireworks-Festival-with-me?" I blurted out. The words were so smashed together that it was barely possible to tell if what I had just asked Claire was actually English and not some sort of alien message.

My face without delay transformed into a cherry-red hue quicker than you could say "blush". Sweat poured down the back of my neck, yet the air had turned into a frosty chunk of ice that I had been stiffened in.

Looking for the smallest amount of positive light in the situation, at least I hadn't wet my pants the way Cliff had when he asked Ann to the Starry Night Festival…

"Y-You want to go with me?!" I ended my rambling train of thought and did the best I could to smile with assurance.

"Yes, yes I do."

"THAT WOULD BE PERFECT!"

I staggered backwards in complete surprise, nearly falling over again. "R-Really? Are y-you sure?!"

"I sure am!"

_Phew... _"Then I guess we'll meet at the beach tonight."

Minuscule twinkling stars dappled the deep and clear navy blue sky like golden specks of glitter sprinkled on a pitch black Halloween cape. The cadenced waves of the ocean and soft buzzes of dialogue between couples and friends were the only sounds to be heard, resulting in a serene situation of attainable tranquility. I whiffed a breath of the fresh salty air and sighed in contentment. _This is what Heaven must feel like…_

"Hi, Rick!"

I whirled around, expecting to see Claire in an exceedingly fancy dress that glimmered with sequins to the point it became blinding. I assumed she'd be coated in layers of makeup and that her hair would be fashioned into some wild style that took hours to form.

But it turned out I was completely erroneous. She wore a simple and spotless red checkered shirt and new, clearly unworn blue overalls. No makeup appeared to have been used, but an untainted face with a wonderful little smile was presented. And her hair was down and combed straight, just like the good old Claire that I was familiar with.

I liked her this way. Some might've called her somewhat dully dressed for a date, but I thought Claire was absolutely incredible without anything needless like jewelry or high-heels.

"H-Hi, Claire," I stammered, slamming my fists into my apron pockets. Instantly

I was reminded of a certain feather that was waiting to be presented to a special girl.

"What's up?"

We moved over to one part of the beach where the sky was observable and we had some solitude. Claire reached into her rucksack and pulled out a picnic blanket which she spread out on the ground, refusing my assistance politely.

Now that we were both seated at ease, Claire propped open a basket that she had been clutching. "I made snacks! Eat up!"

I peered inside the basket, fearing it'd be filled to the brim with nothing but chicken wings. Much to my relief (and surprise) I saw nothing but spa-boiled eggs. My beloved.

_She packed my favorite…_

"I hope they're good!" Claire chirped, reaching for one and handing me another. "I knew you like them."

"Th-Thanks." I bit into the egg and had to admit, it was pretty darn good. The warmth of the insides seemed like it had remained, causing myself to nearly salivate. Fortunately my sanity was wide aware before any spit had a chance to escape and situate me into an awkward situation.

"Everybody! They're going to start!" cried out an anonymous voice from among the crowd. Without revealing much hesitation, Claire grabbed my hand and squeezed it firmly.

I gasped for a moment in severe shock when a tingling sensation seemed to pulse throughout my veins the second our hands touched like a burst of impulsive liveliness, or like one of Popuri's random sugar rushes. However, the diminutive sound I made thankfully went unnoticed because bursts of vivacious color had loaded the beach atmosphere with stunning bright lights and roaring booms of reverberation. It was like a melody to my ears.

I stole a discreet glance at Claire, whose head was tilted up to face the sky. Her marine blue eyes twinkled with exhilaration as the fireworks mirrored in them. "Aren't they gorgeous, Rick?"

"Y-Yeah..." Something in my heart was giving me a little more self-reliance. "Do you know what else is gorgeous?" I inquired vigilantly. Inside my mind, I prayed that Claire wouldn't take this compliment offensively.

She averted her gaze and fixed it so that our eyes were locked. "Yeah, what?"

I gulped fearfully. "You."

While Claire was busy in her mind absorbing what she had just heard me say, I seized my chance. This was it. I couldn't mess up. It was my final opportunity. I opened my mouth and allowed it to speak for itself.

"Claire...will you stay with me for the rest of my life? Will you stick by my side through thick and thin? Through every storm, stomach flu, and sadness? Through every moment of happiness? ...Will you marry me?"

Her eyes widened to the size of frying pans and for a split second I thought that something in my proposal had been worded incorrectly. I replayed my preceding sentence several times in my head.

And then on her face, appeared a lively beam that did nothing to me except make me feel absolutely joyful inside.

"Rick, I'd love to marry you!"

My heart leapt to my throat, and the butterflies that had invaded my stomach were long gone, only to be replaced with pleasurable warmth.

"R-Really?" I stammered in trepidation.

"Yes! Of course I do! I don't know of anything or anyone that could make me feel happier than you, Rick. You're my best friend, and I'd die without you…"

Tears were now streaming down my fiancée's cheeks. With my thumb I wiped them away. We then kissed for the first time, savoring every moment of it.

I'd have to remember to thank Popuri later.

**A/N: And there you have it, buddy! I hoped you enjoyed reading this. You're one of the best buddies I've ever had! :D**

**And good luck to the others that are participating in this dare! Please review!**

**-Hershey**


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